Police forces must release information on Taser use to reassure the public that the stun weapons are employed appropriately, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) says.

The AMA's West Australian branch president David Mountain says it's always a concern when there's a death related to use of stun guns.

His comments follow the death of a man who died after police fired a Taserin central Sydney yesterday.

 

Dr Mountain said he supported the use of Tasers as a safer alternative to police firearms but it was very important that police followed the rules of engagement and didn't over-use the devices.

"They're very painful, they do have side-effects and problems, they should only be used for people who are very aggressive and very dangerous to control," he told reporters.

"It sounds in this case that the rules of engagement weren't followed anyway because the guy was running away."

Dr Mountain said police knew how often they deployed Tasers and how often there were problems such as injuries or heart-related issues from their use, but they hadn't released such information.

"They have to make the public aware of how useful these devices are and use them appropriately to maintain the trust of the public," Dr Mountain said.

WA Police reinforced Taser use rules for officers following multiple stun shots fired at Aboriginal man Kevin Spratt in the Perth watchhouse in 2008, stipulating that the stun gun was not to be used to instil compliance.